Scenic display device



April 29, 1930. C, B, MAURER ETI' AL 1,756,565

SCENIC DISPLAY. DEVICE I FiIed'FqbIs. 1929 TTQRNEY Patented Apr. 29, 1930 UNITED V sTATEs rarsn' ortica SCENIC DISPLAY DEVICE Application filed February 18, 1929. Serial No. 340,716.

This invention relatesv to scenic display devices which may be used in store windows, homes, and other places, particularly at Christmas time, and has more especial relation to a device of this kind in which the scenic display includes a mountain eiect and a water fall effect.

One of the leading objects of the vpresent invention is to employ a rigid support movable through which is a belt symbolic of a wa ter fall, and to completely surround the supporting structure for the belt with mountain scenery paper such as is disclosed in our U. S. Letters Patent No. 1,483,466, dated Feb. 12, 1924; and Patent No. 1,650,372, dated November 22, 1927.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a belt symbolic of a water fall which is comprised of a canvas or like endless band having secured thereto upon its face a silver cloth loosely attached at intervals so that in the rotation of the endless band the effect of moving water is obtained.

A. still further obj ect of the present inven- 25. tion is to provide a structure of the charac* ter stated in which incandescent lamps are carried by the structure symbolic of the mountain for throwing rays of light upon the moving band symbolic of the water fall.

A still further object of the present invention is to provide a motor for operating the endless band and lights for displayingrays of light upon the water fall effect, all of said parts being in electrical connection for attachment to a conventional lighting socket.

Other and further objects reside in the provision of general details of construction and in the arrangement and combination of parts for attaining the results sought by the foregoing objects.

The invention consists of the novel construction hereinafter described and finally claimed.

The nature, characteristic features and scope of the invention will be more fully understood from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings forming part hereof, and in which Fig. 1, is a view in elevation of a display device embodying the invention with the mountain scenery disclosed in full lines.

Fig. 2, is a rear view of Fig. 1, the moun-V tain scenery, however, being arranged in dotted lines more clearly to illustrate the operating mechanism.

Fig. 3, is a view in side elevation of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4, is a fragmentary face view of the endless belt shown in the foregoing Figs.

Fig. 5, is a vertical sectional view of Fig. 4.

For the purpose of illustrating our in- Vention we have shown in the accompanying drawings one form thereof which is at present preferred by us, since the same has been found in practice to give satisfactory and reliable results, although it is to be understood that the various instrumentalities of which our invention consists can be variously arranged and organized and that our invention is not limited to the precise arrangement and organization of the instrumentalities as herein shown and described.

Referringv to the drawings, and with more especial relation now to Figs. 2 and 3, the reference numeral 1 designates a base, usually of wood, rising from which is a pair of ixed standards 2, said standards'being connected at their top by a cross piece 3. In practice these parts are also usually made of wood.

Journalled in the standards 2 adjacent the top thereof is a shaft 4 having fixed thereto a roller Vor cylinder 5 of relatively large diameter and having a roughened circumference. In practice sand paper or equivalent material is used for the purpose. Extended across the lower portions of the standards 2 is a cross bar 6 for guiding the lower end of an endless band or belt 7 as operated by the roughened surface of roller or cylinder 5.y

The shaft 4 is Vdriven from electrical motor 8 by means of a belt 9 cooperatingy witha wheel 10 upon shaft 4. I Y v Viewed from the rear as in Fig. 2 the standards 2 and operating mechanism are exposed, but as viewed from the front and side as shown in Figs. 1 and 3 the o erating mechanism with the exception o the water fall effect is concealed by mountain scenery 11.

This mountain scenery is formed of specially` l' prepared paper such as is described in our -r Letters Patent Nos. 1,483,466 and 1,650,372,

`and it is believed that a description thereof is unnecessary yin this case. The mountain scenery paper 11 is crumpled and arranged 1 seen in F ig. 3, for displaying lightv rays upon i the moving belt 7 When the motor is running,

it Vbeing.understood thatthe vlights 13 are upon the `same circuit operating. the motor and vthat current may be supplied :from a conventional lightingsocket by means ofa plug,y 14.

In perfecting our Water vfallelfect We employfor,theendlessfbeltor band 7 a piece of canvas, or similar textile material which is relatively soft andxpliable and; attach to the face thereof silver fabric 8, Which fabric presents a silver, sparkling-like effect.- `We have foundin practice that instead of gluing or otherwise securing the entire surface of the silver fabricr8 to the belt 7, good relaults-are obtainedby-leaving at intervals, areferably irregular intervals, loose vportions 14, see Fig. 5. These loose portions have the tendency to flatten out and again re-assert themselves in the operation ofthe.- endless belt'7 Which-.may be termed a collapsingzand expanding structure. lViththerotation of the endless band lthis collapsingand expanding of the loose portions 14 of the silver Acloth producesthe effect of moving Waterand `With the endless band viewed only'y through the said standards With an elongated open spiace at the front of the device, and an endless belt of pliable fabric, a textile material as silver I cloth secured toone face of said 'belt through- 'Y elongated opening as shown iniFig. .1,7 avery realistic Water` fall scene is produced. Y

While We have described ourinvention as being especially :applicable for'fuse Vin connection With mountain scenery paper as embodied inl our aforesaid patents, wefwishnit understood that scenery in imitation of other subjectsmay be ,employed and material other thanl said mountain scenery ,may be employed. l/Ve also Wish it funder'stood that While primarily our device has been ,designed insmall size, foruse around the'gChristmas holidays in Christmas gardens and thelike, We may also greatly increase 'the sizeof the device so asto be employedfor commercial purposes, as for instance, advertising purposes.

.Havingrthusfdescribed our invention, What We claim as new is:

1. A vdevice of the character statedfcomprising abase,a pair ofnstandardsrising therefrom, ashaft provided Witha roughened surface rotatable 'between said fstandards,

means for drivirng:said*shaftamountain` scencryl arranged around the front;` and .sides `of 

